RIMPAC Health Professionals Train for Medical Engagements

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Katarzyna Kobiljak | 160711-N-YW024-105 JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM (July 11, 2016) Military members from China, Canada and civilians share medical experiences during a group activity during Fundamentals of Global Health Engagement Course at Makalapa Clinic during Rim of the Pacific 2016. Twenty-six nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 30 to Aug. 4, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationship that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2016 is the 25th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Katarzyna Kobiljak)  

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HAWAII, UNITED STATES

07.13.2016

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Katarzyna Kobiljak  

Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet           

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM (July 13, 2016) -Military members from 11 countries and Department of Defense civilians participated in a multinational Fundamentals of Global Health Engagement Course at Naval Health Clinic Hawaii Makalapa Clinic on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, July 11-13, during Rim of the Pacific 2016.

The FOGHE course featured speakers from Australia, Canada, Chile, China, India, Japan, Singapore and the U.S. navies and was designed to build an awareness and baseline understanding of elements adding complexity in conducting DoD Global Health Engagement activities.

“Our mentality is not if, but when, there will be another typhoon, another tsunami or another earthquake, and so we always want to be prepared,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Gregg Montalto, MD, U.S. Navy Medical Liaison assigned to Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet.

Throughout the course, medical personnel gained a greater understanding of the strategic, operational, and civil-military considerations in DoD GHEs, including framework for establishing the context of a health engagement and then planning, executing, and monitoring the activity.

Royal Australian Navy Cmdr. Robert Curtis was the course lead coordinator and said it was a major event in a program of international medical engagements during the harbor phase.

“This symposium and the other medical events are examples of why RIMPAC is important. It provides opportunities for peer-to-peer engagement and exchanges of ideas and procedures on subjects common across the maritime domain,” said Curtis.

Montalto said bringing people together for RIMPAC also provides an opportunity to work on several disaster premises.

“During RIMPAC there will be a big Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief drill which will involve state (Hawaii), military, non-governmental organizations and the United States Agency for International Development, “ said Montalto. “[Because] not all the RIMPAC nations will be able to participate in the drill, for medical personnel not involved, this course is an opportunity to receive training in GHE.”

Chinese Navy Senior Capt. Sun Tao, director of the Chinese navy hospital ship Peace Ark (866), said it’s the second time Peace Ark has participated in RIMPAC. Tao said this year the Peace Ark was better prepared and the exchanges and cooperation with foreign military medical personnel have grown.

“RIMPAC provides a worldwide communication and cooperation platform for medical officers from different countries, especially Asia-Pacific region countries. We work together and progress together,” said Tao.

DOD GHE uses the full spectrum of health capabilities in military-to-military, military-to-civilian, or multilateral activities. DoD GHE may include, but are not limited to, humanitarian assistance, foreign disaster relief, humanitarian civic assistance and supporting the aims of the USG Global Health Initiative.

DoD GHE means to partner with other nations to achieve security cooperation and build partner capacity through health-related activities and exchanges. DoD GHE activities allow military health services and partner nation military or civilian authorities and agencies to build trust and confidence, share information, coordinate activities, maintain influence, and achieve interoperability.

“This course came together really well, and it is something very desirable that many want to participate in,” said Montalto.

Curtis said the course was important because it demonstrated common medical situations and problems facing clinicians across the maritime environment and highlighted medical capabilities clinicians from participating nations can utilize in a combined and joint environment.

Twenty-six nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 30 to Aug. 4, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2016 is the 25th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

• Date Taken: 07.13.2016
• Date Posted: 07.14.2016 22:22
• Story ID: 204020
• Location: JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HAWAII, US